Steven Everts

Graph showing the 'snail pace' of R&D in the EU compared to US R&D. While overall defence spending among EU Member States has gone up, investment in defence R&D is not keeping pace with procurement.

💡 The EU can address both its security & competitiveness crises with a new tool: increased defence budgets.

Europe has the opportunity to spark a dual-use tech boom that could boost its deterrence and industrial growth, argue @joristeer.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social. www.iss.europa.eu/pu...

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Come and join us!

We are looking for a new Head of People and Organisation.

Think about while on holiday and apply before end-August. Details below. ↘️

Motherfucking wind farms…

We are now at the ‘battle of the fact sheets’ stage of EU-US trade negotiations, with each side having its own interpretation of what was actually agreed.

The EU-US ‘deal’ wasn’t really a ‘deal’, as many predicted. This will run and run.

Sharply different read outs ↘️

Spending 5 per cent on defence doesn’t make Nato stronger An arbitrary target won’t enhance members’ capabilities or co-ordination and encourages creative accounting

While no one disputes that Europe needs to do more for its defence, the focus on defence spending percentage of GDP won’t get us there. Indeed, making Europeans commit to an arbitrary spending target is the best way to keep Europe from reaching strategic autonomy.

My rant in the @financialtimes.com

Tom Lehrer truly one of the greatest satirist of all time.

“Once the rockets are up who cares where they come down; that’s not my department says Werner von Braun.”

What is happening and not happening in #Gaza is heart breaking. A man-made famine. It can and must be stopped.

The EU doesn’t need a deal with Trump The bloc has the strength not to offer the US anything

It begins with realising that there never will be any trade ‘deal’ with Trump as in a stable policy framework. Instead of that we have perpetual threats, bluster, partial agreements that are later withdrawn, cliffhangers etc. This is reality TV, the Trump show.

Unwise for the EU to give in.

New EUISS commentary | Same summit, different stakes? Written by Tim Rühlig

🇨🇳 The upcoming #EUChinaSummit may give the impression of business as usual. But the geopolitical context has changed.

Beijing may be realising that, despite ongoing transatlantic strains, fundamental EU-China divergences remain unchanged, writes @ruehlig.bsky.social. iss.europa.eu/publications...

The EU can leverage digital diplomacy to more effectively counter #disinformation in Georgia & Armenia. AI-enhanced social listening offers an innovative way to navigate these contested info spaces explain @ditrych.bsky.social & @leodeago.bsky.social.

Read more: www.iss.europa.eu/publications...

“Europe’s fear fuels Russia’s bombing of Ukraine.”

In a wide-ranging interview with Belgian magazine @knack.be, ‬ Director @sbeverts.bsky.social urges Europe not to let Trump monopolize its attention, warns of China’s double game, & calls for the courage to act decisively.

These Dutch guys deserve your support. They bring discarded fishing and flower bulb nets to Ukraine. To protect people and lives.

All volunteers doing the right things. But donations have dropped, so time we all step up.

Net overgemaakt! Zo goed wat jullie doen.

Trumps tariff show totally exhausting.

I know the politics don’t allow and that Trump only recognises strength. But part of me says EU should simply ignore the circus and say

“We want zero for zero. Call us when you like. Meanwhile, if you want to go ahead with 30% tariffs, knock yourself out.”

True. Of course the Chinese dominance of the solar/CRM world means it’s not without its dilemmas for democrats…

The solar revolution is setting us free at individual and collective level - and gives us a fighting chance to contain the worst aspects of the climate crisis. It’s hard to find something else that’s so good for us.

4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment In the past two years, without much notice, solar power has begun to truly transform the world’s energy system.

A much needed dose of good news:

“It took from the invention of the photovoltaic solar cell, in 1954, until 2022 for the world to install a terawatt of solar power; the second terawatt came just two years later, and the third will arrive either later this year or early next.”

Here comes the future: European security increasingly forged by multiple coalitions. Not so much NATO or EU; the real action is elsewhere.

With and for Ukraine.

Good reporting as usual by @alexowski.bsky.social

Your most depressing read today.

Never forget the victims of #MH17.

Unanimous verdict of European Court of Human Rights: Russia fully responsible for killing 298 people - and for trying to cover it up with disinfo and other trickery.

As Ukraine suffers yet another wave of missile and drone attacks, it is urgent for Europeans to act. It’s a cliché but true that we talk a lot but do too little. Where are we on missile defence? Or the ‘devastating sanctions’? Or frozen assets?

We cannot outsource this to anyone else.

The Trump Show. It's exhausting but impossible to avoid.

As @simonkuper.bsky.social already said 8 years ago: what moves Trump is attention, much more than 'deals':

www.ft.com/content/a41f...

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⏰ Apply by 28 August, 12:00 CEST
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#EUjobs

Head of people and organisation The Institute is looking for a new Head of people and organisation. Deadline: 28 August 2025, 12:00 CEST.

We’re hiring! At the @euiss.bsky.social we are looking for a Head of People & Organisation - to lead our HR and talent development strategy and run our operations.

Ready to make an impact at the heart of EU foreign policy?Apply now 👉

#EUjobs #EUDiplomacy #PublicSectorCareers

Reporter’s notebook: My deadly routine in Kyiv. Here’s how it feels to survive Russia’s drone and missile attacks while the U.S. turns its back on us.

“Air raid sirens across the country. It feels like everyone is brought out for execution. But only one person gets targeted. Usually, the one at the edge. This time, not you; all clear,”

Dispatch from Kyiv:

When stars align: Leveraging European defence budgets to drive a dual-use tech boom Europe faces a security and competitiveness crisis. Increased defence spending offers an opportunity to address both challenges, unleashing a dual-use technology boom. Both the EU and its Member State...

Rising defence budgets can tackle both Europe's security & competitiveness crisis. Others have done it: the US, China & Ukraine turned threats into tech & industrial booms.

Europe can do it too explain @joristeer.bsky.social & @gspataf95.bsky.social ⤵️ ow.ly/irZR50Wkgfs

30 min to understand what happened at the NATO summit ⤵️

@sbeverts.bsky.social & @lscazzieri.bsky.social unpack the outcomes & go beyond the headlines to look at what it means for Europe's security.

🎥 Watch the full discussion: www.youtube.com/live/CDF-qgL...

Curious about what to make of last week’s NATO summit? Wonder if Europeans will - finally - get serious about their own defence? Is the glass half full or half empty?

You can rewatch my conversation with @lscazzieri.bsky.social on all this and more here:

US holidaymakers descend on Europe as overtourism fears mount The continent could be poised for a record summer as Americans pour in and Europeans holiday close to home

We should design a European tourist tax scheme that mirrors the level of American tariffs on our goods.
on.ft.com/4kehg0E